The Cold War: origins,causes, and global impacts
Research Article
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The Cold War: origins,causes, and global impacts

Yixuan Bai 1*
1 Nanjing Jingling High School Hexi Campus
*Corresponding author: 646467343@qq.com
Published on 10 September 2025
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AHR Vol.12 Issue 6
ISSN (Print): 2753-7099
ISSN (Online): 2753-7080
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Abstract

The Cold War referred to the all-out confrontation between the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics between 1947 and 1991. After World War II, the US and the USSR became two poles of the world by virtue of their great strength, and they became opposed due to differences in ideology and geopolitics. Militarily, NATO confronts the Warsaw Pact and launches an arms race; Economically, the US implemented the Marshall Plan, and the USSR established the Economic and Mutual Association; There is also a fierce ideological confrontation. It profoundly affected the international landscape, economic development and cultural exchanges, and finally ended with the collapse of the USSR and the drastic changes in the Eastern Europe. As an important historical stage in the second half of the 20th century, the Cold War had an extremely far-reaching impact on the world.This article will introduce the basic concepts related to the Cold War, such as the historical background of the Cold War, the introduction of the two camps, the introduction of emphasis, the aspects of struggle, and the international political theories related to the Cold War. It also discuss the key events of the Cold War and discuss the impact of the Cold War and its implications for the present day from three periods: the pre-60s, the 70s, the 80s and beyond.

Keywords:

Cold War, the US, the USSR, NATO, Eastern Europe

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Bai,Y. (2025). The Cold War: origins,causes, and global impacts. Advances in Humanities Research,12(6),25-41.

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Cite this article

Bai,Y. (2025). The Cold War: origins,causes, and global impacts. Advances in Humanities Research,12(6),25-41.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Journal: Advances in Humanities Research

Volume number: Vol.12
Issue number: Issue 6
ISSN: 2753-7080(Print) / 2753-7099(Online)